


もうひとりじゃないよ - You're No Longer Alone

by KeahiFCTF2



Category: Love Live! School Idol Festival (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Loneliness, Minor Angst, One shot turned two shot, Songfic, Yuri, almost
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-22 16:16:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11971017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeahiFCTF2/pseuds/KeahiFCTF2
Summary: "I am never letting you go. Not now. Not forever.""D-Do you promise?""I promise."





	もうひとりじゃないよ - You're No Longer Alone

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is inspired by this Honoka Solo which shares the name with the title of the song itself.
> 
> Link is here if you want to listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-blUfqfhAVk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is the end of the 2011 School Year and Maki hears a piano recital coming from the Music Room.

It was the afternoon in the Ward of Chiyoda in Downtown Tokyo. At this time, the students of Otonikazaka are usually either at home or doing extracurricular activities despite the school year coming to a close. There were not that many students attending Otonokizaka now, but come the next school year around May and June and it will be filled with pure and energetic first years. But for now, Otonokizaka remained mostly empty, but there was something happy about it being empty.

Which is why upcoming second year student NIshikino Maki is wandering through the silent halls of the school she and her eight other friends saved. While she now is comfortable with other people, there is something special about being lonely at this hour that made Maki smile. Was it the fact that she loved being lonely again? Of course not. She is smiling because now there will be fresh students coming to this school. Students that will most likely be her future Kouhai.

Not only that, but Maki finds something melancholic about the silence. It was as if one chapter of many had ended here in Otonokizaka and a new chapter is yet to be written. Being a composer of music, the redhead finds it very interesting and intriguing.

However, breaking that silence, she heard a few notes on the piano. It was a bit slow at first, but that was enough to be very melodic. You could say that the first few notes alone could either bring a smile to someone's face or instill years of depression in you.

_'W-Wha??? W-Who is playing..? It sounds so beautiful...'_

Maki froze. She never heard someone play the piano with this frightening skill. However, the first thing that was on her mind was who was in the Music Room. Unless that person brought their own piano (which is unlikely in itself since it sounds like a genuine orchestra piano), then the only piano that was here was in the Music Room.

Maki didn't hesitate when she rushed down the seemingly endless hallways of Otonokizaka. She felt as if someone she knew did this before, but that didn't bother her as the first objective was to find out who was playing the piano. Her mind went all over the place to who would be playing.

Was it Umi? Probably, since she has an interest in the piano when they worked together but she doubts that Umi could master the piano considering how steel hardened she is. That said, she could also count out Kotori as well, since she may give up if she makes one mistake. Umi's discipline must have rubbed off onto the poor bird. Rin and Nico are instant 'No's in Maki's mind. There is no bloody way that they could play AT ALL. Neither would Nozomi and Eli. Eli would be like Umi in this regard and Nozomi would be too busy groping Eli's large bust. Hanayo would, but she is very self-conscious about herself and would deny playing the piano.

This left only one person in Maki's mind.

And sure enough as she got to the Music room and peeked through the small door windows, she saw that very person.

_'H-Honoka? What is she doing here?'_

Maki was a bit surprised that Honoka is playing. A bit because Maki knew Honoka wanted to make her own music just for fun and giggles; nothing more and nothing less. However, Maki was still surprised that Honoka would play something that is  _this good._

Maki continued to stare at Honoka more. Unbelievably, Honoka paid no heed to the redhead peeking through the window and continued playing before she finally got a good rhythm in.

_'I've never seen Honoka so focused before...'_ Maki thought, mesmerized by Honoka's performance.

However, as soon as Maki thought that while staring at the orangette, Honoka began to sing.

 

_Please, don't anymore, okay?_

 

Maki nearly scampered backwards as soon as she heard Honoka's voice.

_'W-What the-?!'_ she screamed internally,  _'H-Honoka... She sounds so different..!'_

Indeed. Maki, no... all of MUSE, never heard Honoka sing in this melancholic and deep of a singing voice. Usually it was only her upbeat (though somewhat annoying) high pitched voice. But this... Honoka sounds drastically different here. And what about those lyrics?

Maki continued listening to Honoka's song.

 

_Shutting yourself away all alone_  
_Will just make you sad, won't it?_  
_I want you to call out to me_

 

The redhead blushed a bit.

_'I-Is Honoka singing to..._ ME?! _'_

 

_Please, don't anymore, okay?_  
_You pretend you want to be alone_  
_Because you don't want to be hurt, isn't that right?_

 

Maki never noticed it, but her eyes suddenly had gotten a tad wet. She subconsciously wiped those wet marks away from her eyes. Yes, they are wet marks. Maki isn't crying, you idiots. Why would she cry on a song?

 

_"Please remember me," I murmured  
_ _As the stars shined brightly through the night_

 

_'J-Jeez Honoka...'_  

Maki never had seen Honoka saying things such as this. Let alone write a song with such lyrics. It reminded Maki of when Muse disbanded at that beach in Kanagawa. Maki continued crying that fateful night as the stars shone brightly.

Ignoring her slowly degrading emotional control, Maki continues to stay silent.

 

_There'll be times you want to cry; We can be together then_  
_You may not be able to find any words,_  
_But as long as we're together, isn't that fine?_

 

Maki blushed even more.

_'D-Does this idiot read MINDS now?! Imi wakannai!!!'_

At the same time, however, Maki felt as if Honoka had a point. She did felt lonely until Honoka found her...

No.

Until Maki found Honoka.

 

_Yes, I know what you mean..._  
_Whenever you bottle up your feelings,_  
_You end up torn up on the inside, don't you?  
_ _Why not try talking about how you feel?_

 

At that point, Maki felt as if Honoka is not singing this song to her, but she is also legit  ** _talking face-to-face_**  with Maki herself. For an idiotic baka, Maki can give Honoka some credit for at least trying to be helpful in some points.

But the more Maki thought about Honoka, the more her heart started to ache. More tears began to drip from Maki's eyeducts as she remembered all the horrid tribulations she had to face in her first days at Otonokizaka. All the judgementing comments about her. How she was left out. The pain of not having friends. Her icy facade. Her  **loneliness**.

It was in that very Music Room that Maki fell in love. Fell in love with the first person to had truly accepted her as who she is. Not as the heiress of the Nishikino Hospital, but as Maki Nishikino.

"H-Honoka..." Maki barely managed to say as her emotions slowly overcame her reasoning.

 

_Yes, you understand, don't you?_  
_If my heart had wings,  
_ _I'd want to send to you an_ **"I love you"**

The tsundere went wide-eyed.

Wide-eyed at such a ludicrous statement. More tears started to fall before Maki finally broke down.

She started to cry and sob silently.

"I..." She sobbed, "I want you to tell me that..."

To Maki, Honoka is her first love. She may also probably be her only love as well. Maki never once tried to be all tsundere towards Honoka and instead shown "affection" towards Rin and Nico. To Maki, Nico and Rin are much more possible pairing with her. Maki resigned herself to the fact that Honoka would never be hers.

Ever.

And it hurts. Bad.

 

_So remember me, okay?  
_ _With a sigh, the stars fell throughout the night_

 

"I will remember you..." Maki croaked, her words were barely legible amidst her own soft sobbing, "D-Dumbass... I want to remain by you... By your side.."

 

_There'll be times you want to cry; We can be together then_  
_You may not be able to find any words,  
_ _But as long as we're together, isn't that fine?_

_Whenever you want to see me, we can be together_  
_You may not be able to find the right words,_  
_But as long as we're together, isn't that fine?_

 

Maki lost all will and reasoning to continue hiding her unrequited and locked up feelings. She curled up on the floor, as if she wasn't pathetic enough.

She felt as if she had everything. Mansions, riches, Santa Claus, all the luxuries of the Japanese Elite.

But being loved by the one you care for the most is one thing she knew money can't buy. It was by that reasoning that Honoka was beyond Maki's own imagination. She will never have Honoka.

It just wasn't fair...

"H-Honokaaaa...!" Maki cried, not caring about how loud she was getting. She just cannot take this in any longer. To have the girl you love so much be so unattainable, like a worthless priest praying for God's love.

"Maki-chan?"

Maki blushed as she recognized that voice. She didn't want to turn around, but her own dysfunctional thinking mechanisms made Maki delusional and she turned around anyway. There she was met face-to-face with the person of her emotions.

"H-Honoka?" Maki said, trying to hide her sadness, "W-What are you doing here?"

"I don't know..." Honoka fidgeted a bit, "I just like coming to the music room to sing..." She trailed off before focusing her baby blue eyes on the redhead, "But what about you? Shouldn't you be home by now?"

Maki deadpanned at Honoka, trying to think up of an excuse before settling on one.

"Y-Yeah..." She said, trying to hide whatever feelings she had in desperation, "I-I just wanted to play the piano and just be a loner and stuff... You know, for inspiration... B-But I saw you and... that song is so beautiful."

"Ah! Thank you Maki-chan!" Honoka bowed, "I made it since I supposedly inspired all of the Muse members and I wanted to sing it for the graduating Third Years in particular."

"Oh..." Maki frowned, "Well... It's a very good song. Did you made it yourself?"

"Indeed I did! Though... Umi-chan helped me out most of the time..." Honoka rubbed the back of her head.

"I see..."

Honoka then had that one look that she gave to Maki, her eyebrows scrunched as she stared at Maki. The redhead felt uncomfortable as she saw it. She knew better than to lie in front of Honoka. As oblivious as she is, Honoka is as observant as Kotori and Nozomi.

"Maki-chan." Honoka said sternly, "What were you really here for? Why were you standing in front of the Music Room?"

"B-Because!" Maki babbled, "I... I didn't want to interrupt you!"

"Maki." The redhead winced as Honoka dropped the '-chan' honorific, "Please don't lie to me. All of us went over with this when you are distressed during our practices."

Maki began to panic. She doesn't want to spill her feelings to Honoka. Not now, not in the future, not at all. Maki may as well hide it more and more rather than to face the prospects of an already obvious rejection. Maki stayed silent in front of Honoka's face as she looked down to Honoka's skirt and legs, not wanting to look at her eyes.

"Maki..." Honoka said, louder this time, "Please. What is wrong?"

Maki's head hung even lower, with her eyesight looking at the ground and her school shoes. She felt tears building up near her eyes again, but she tried her damned hardest not to show.

"Maki?" Honoka is still trying to get the redhead's attention, "A-Are you crying..?"

That was it for Maki. Honoka may have saw through her desperate attempts. She needs to go as far away from Honoka as possible. Now.

"I have to go." The redhead promptly says.

However, just as she is about to go, Honoka grabbed her arm with both hands.

"Maki?! Where are you going?" She questioned.

"I'm heading home! It's getting late, idiot!" Maki yelled, ignoring her cracking voice and the increasing volume of her own tears.

_'I'm not even worth your time anyways...'_

However, Honoka wouldn't budge a bit.

"Don't go! You haven't even answered my question!" Honoka said, her voice carrying a tint of worry. Worry about her redhead pianist.

"I don't need to. My family needs my presence at the Hospital anyways." Maki knew that last part was a lie. All of Muse knew that was the signal that Maki is clearly lying. Heck, even Honoka caught on.

"You're  _ **lying**_ , Maki!" Honoka said, her voice volume rising, "What is going on with you?! What happened?!"

"You don't need to know what is happening to me!!" Maki pulled harder, her tears falling from her cheeks and face.

"YES I DO!!" Honoka was getting more impatient. She knew that something is horribly wrong with Maki. She just wanted to pin down what is causing this.

The two conflicting ideals only increased the tension in the hallways.

"Why are you so insistent?! Leave me alone!!!"

"And why are you so dishonest?! Please tell me the truth, Maki!!!"

"I am not!"

"WHY NOT?!"

_**"BECAUSE I DON'T DESERVE YOU! I DON'T DESERVE SPENDING TIME WITH YOU!"** _

Honoka stared, but her grip on Maki is still strong. The orangette began to pale at what Maki said.

"M-Maki-cha-" She tried to question Maki before she was cut off abruptly.

**"NO! Don't 'Maki-chan?' ME!"** Maki screamed, her tears, sweat, bloodshot eyes, and emotions coming out like a Tsunami wave,  **"I was lonely back in my early days at this damn High School! I was alone! I wanted to be alone! But all of a FUCKING SUDDEN YOU,"** Maki added emphasis on that word as Honoka stared,  **"showed up. You pestered me to be in your stupid club and, you know what? I agreed in the end!"**

"M-Maki..." Honoka started to cry a bit, "D-Do you... hate m..me..?"

Maki felt more enraged,  **"DON'T YOU FUCKING THINK LIKE THAT DAMNIT!!!! Time went on, and I found family in the form of Muse. I been through your shenanigans. I hid my feelings, but I eventually learned to laugh, smile, and have fun. Because I have found people that didn't see me as that RICH OVERACHIEVING TSUNDERE BITCH. I have found people who will accept me as MAKI and ONLY MAKI!**

**"There was still that one girl that I really loved, however. She was the one that helped me see the light and guide me to the right path. To continue making music even if I have my own doctor duties to attend to in the future... I loved her, but I know that she will never love me back since she is just too far out there for me to reach!"**

As Maki continued to cry and trying to catch her breath, Honoka gave her an innocent smile.

"Wow..." Honoka said, still a bit shell shocked at Maki's outburst, "I didn't know you were in love with Nozomi... Not what me, Kotori, and Umi expected, but I will give you my blessings."

At that point, Maki simply exploded....

And slapped Honoka.

Honoka felt very shocked. Why did Maki slap her? Was she really annoying? Did she hurt Maki's feelings? Did she force Maki into becoming an Idol like she did with Kotori and Umi? She doesn't know and due to this, Honoka also started to cry a bit.

"M-Maki... chan..." Honoka croaked out, "I know you are frustrated... If you don't want me to be your friend... I can forget you... Besides..." She gave Maki a sad smile, "I am a person that no one will remember..."

But Maki wasn't done. In fact, her anger, rage, and stubbornness only grew.

**"Stupid... Idiot..."** Maki stammered before her low voice becomes a shrill scream unleashing what she had kept inside for so long.

**"STUPID FUCKING IDIOT! IT'S YOU!! I LOVE YOU! AND I KNOW YOU WON'T LOVE ME!!!"**

This time, both Honoka and Maki were shocked at what the redhead said. Maki was both shocked and outright paranoid since she literally confessed to Honoka in the worst way possible. By slapping her, screaming in her face while crying, and calling her bad names to the point in which Honoka started to cry.

"M-Maki..?" Honoka said, her voice still cracking a bit, but recovering thanks to that revelation, "D-Did you say... that you LOVE me..?"

Maki cried more and more. That was it. This is the end of her friendship with Honoka and probably the rest of Muse. There is no way that she will recover from this. She will just be lonely once again just like much of her first year at Otonokizaka.

"Yes..." Maki confirmed, already accepting her own fate, "If you want to end our friendship... Then do it. I already know the answer you're going to say."

Honoka was still shocked at the sudden confession, until her gaping face became a soft smile. She then hugged Maki.

"W-What are you doing?!" Maki cried, her tears cascading onto Honoka's blazer, "J-Just leave me alone... I just want to stay lonely... I don't deserve this..."

"You do, Maki-chan."

"EH?!" Maki turned to stare at Honoka, who was giving her a loving smile now, "W-What did you.. say?"

"I don't know much about love... Only the basics..." Honoka said, blushing in embarassment, "But if you do say that you love me... Then I will love you back with the best of my own abilities!"

Maki couldn't believe her ears. Is Honoka accepting her confession?! After all that she said and did? She's crazy! She must be deluding herself.

"Maki... Please don't try to pinch yourself." Honoka said, patting Maki's back, "This is real. I love you, Maki-chan."

"A-Are you telling the truth?" Maki sobbed a bit.

Honoka nodded, "Mhm! I don't want to see you like this anymore, Maki-chan. Thinking that someone will reject you because you place them on a high platform than others is bad thinking! It's even worse if you hide it like you usually do."

"So why... Why do you worry for me? Why accept me?" Maki questioned.

Honoka took a deep breath.

"Maki... When I first met you, I didn't know who you are. All I know was that you were in the Music Room, alone, and looking a bit down. You were talented at what you did, singing Aishiteru Banzai while playing the piano. I was a bit envious, but I knew you were just perfect for Muse!

"So I tried to bring you in. Multiple times. Until finally you joined! I thought that maybe, just maybe, that joining Muse will be a win-win for you since you looked so lonely. Maybe you would see interesting people and even make friends. And I was right! You were close with Nico-chan, Eli-chan, Umi-chan, Rin-chan, and Hanayo-chan! I think we were the first to see you smile for the first time in probably years and that made me happy."

Maki tried to digest what she had heard before Honoka put her hands on her shoulders.

"You are a good friend and a good girl, Maki-chan." Honoka said, her blue eyes making contact with Maki's violet ones, "You don't deserve to suffer like this."

"H-Honoka..." Maki muttered.

"Hmm? What is it, Maki-chan?"

Maki blushed a bit, still trying to wipe away the remaining tears, "C-Can you embrace me? Like w-we are true lovers..?"

"Of course we can, Maki-chan." Honoka replied, bringing Maki into a loving embrace.

"And Honoka..?"

"Yes?"

"Y-You won't let me go... won't you?"

"I am never letting you go. Not now. Not forever."

"D-Do you promise?"

Honoka looked at Maki for a second before she slowly pulled the redhead in for a kiss. For the two of them, there was passion and waves of feelings being unleashed as the two battled for tongue dominance. Their kisses echoed through the hallways before they pulled away for air. Honoka then stared into Maki's eyes before finally saying:

"I promise."

Maki then hugged Honoka tightly and cried for what is the fourth time already. Honoka sighed before patting Maki's back in warm circles. They remained like that for a good five minutes before Honoka decided it was time to go.

"Do you want to sleep over with me, Maki-chan?" Honoka asked, now back to her idealistic, genki self.

Maki stared at her new girlfriend, "W-Wha?! NOW?! But we have school tomorrow!"

"But we need to steel our relationship! We must be like the Titanic!"

"THE TITANIC SUNK!!! BY AN  **ICEBERG!!!** "

They held hands as they continued down towards Honoka's house. As they came closer and closer to the House/Sweets Shop, Honoka looked at Maki. Her head was on Honoka's shoulder, purring as she got comfortable using Honoka's shoulder as a pillow until they made it to bed. Honoka patted her head and stroked her hair.

"Everything will be okay now, Maki-chan~" Honoka reassured, "I'm going to be by your side and I will help you whichever way I can. Besides...

 

_**"You don't have to be alone anymore."**_

 

__~FIN~

**Author's Note:**

> Feeling teary-eyed yet?
> 
> Yes? No? Well it doesn't matter THAT much.
> 
> The song is formatted that it would be song by Honoka to SOMEONE. However, who the song is dedicated to is a mystery.
> 
> Due to Honoka being portrayed as a Ninth Wheel or Straight or Ace/Aro, she may as well be singing this to some random person. However, I would like to say that this song is sung to MAKI. Reason being is that she is lonely a perhaps a bit depressed before Honoka recruited her (Honoka-style, I may add) but she slowly got out of her shell as the series progressed.
> 
> While "Mou Hitori Ja Nai Yo" may be just Honoka saying "I love you" to this someone, I made this fic so that she will perform it for the Third Years as their graduation song (much like how we have our own grad songs at our High School Graduations). However, while making it, Maki overheard and started to break down emotionally since Honoka gave Maki a chance to defy society's expectations of her and how Honoka saw Maki as Maki and not a rich girl who's parents own a hospital.
> 
> Honestly, it's fun rewriting the meaning of songs if they are shipping fuel material. Much like how I enjoyed recreating "Anemone Heart" in one of my previous fics. It's a good way to see things in a whole different light not just in Love Live!, but in actual literature as well.
> 
> Sorry if the drama was a bit drawn long as hell, but I can see Maki just exploding and spilling what she had like how Krakatoa exploded.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated! ^v^


End file.
